Talk To The Hand: Kevin EditionClick
here to see
Kevin Spacey's wonderfully animated May 25 appearance on "
The Late Show With David Letterman," in which at the 5 minute mark, the acclaimed actor tells how he deals with unruly audience members, including those with dreaded cell phones.
At the 7 minute mark, Spacey reveals how he held out his hand and called out an unruly audience member by finally saying "Enough." Yet another reason why I like this fine, and lately
grossly underappreciated, actor!
Although the wildly successful (
read: profitable) revival of
A Moon For The Misbegotten became history on Tony night, Spacey fans willing to travel to London can get another live dose of him in 2008. Beginning in January, he'll be starring in the
Old Vic's revival of
David Mamet's
Speed-The-Plow.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:Talk To The Hand: Tony Edition (June 19, 2007)
Spring Awakening Calling (June 18, 2007)
Rat Patrol: Coming To A Theatre Near You? (May 30, 2007)
A Recoup For The Misbegotten (May 18, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
A Moon For The Misbegotten (The SOB Review) (May 12, 2007)
Theatre Etiquette, Part Two (May 1, 2007)
Was Moon Eclipsed By Critics? (April 10, 2007)
Broadway Moon Shines On Opening Tonight (April 9, 2007)
A Moon For The Students (April 4, 2007)
Money For The Begotten? (January 10, 2007)
Theatre Etiquette, Part One (November 30, 2007)
Brooks Atkinson To Get Space(y)d Out With Moon For The Misbegotten (November 22, 2006)
Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Broadway, First Word On New Show, Kevin Spacey, Late Show With David Letterman, London, Play, Revival, Speed-The-Plow, Talk To The Hand
SOB’s Best Of 2006-07: Top Ten Of The YearYou've endured my "Best Of" lists of everything from the year's best New Musicals and Plays to best Revivals of Musicals and Plays to best Theatrical Events.
Now, before I launch into which Broadway shows would get my Tony vote if I
could actually vote, here’s how the
best of the best rank in my personal countdown of the “10 Best” theatrical productions I saw over the course of the 2006-07 Theatrical Season:
10 - A Moon For The Misbegotten (Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York, NY) – Eve Best and Kevin Spacey are as symbiotic as any two actors I’ve witnessed and provide one of the most astonishing and affecting hours I’ve experienced from live theatre all year.
9 - The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie (Acorn Theatre, New York, NY) – A hauntingly beautiful revival of
Jay Presson Allen’s pre-World War II drama that had me spellbound.
8 - The Unmentionables (Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL) - Playwright
Bruce Norris' compelling brilliance was woven throughout his riveting tale that stands good intentions on its head.
7 - Barry Humphries & Friends: Back With A Vengeance! (Arts Centre, State Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) – Three hours worth of ingenious wit and wisdom from one of Australia's true treasures, Barry Humphries.
6 - Curtains (Ahmanson Theatre at the Music Center, Los Angeles, CA) – An exceedingly smart, exceptionally funny and a thrilling theatrical finale for the legendary songwriting team of
John Kander and the late
Fred Ebb.
5 - Sonia Flew (Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL) – A splendid, soaring play that left me positively chilled.
4 - The Real Thing (McGuire Proscenium Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, MN) – An eminently smart and deliciously acccessible revival that was a joy to behold.
3 - Gypsy (Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL) –A mesmerizing, show-stopping Patti LuPone soared to new heights with an unforgettable, heart-wrenched rendering of Mama Rose.
2 - Evita (Adelphi Theatre, London, United Kingdom) – The best revival of a musical from the past year that was dazzling.
1 - Grey Gardens (Walter Kerr Theatre, New York, NY) – A completely satisfying triumph of the first order – bravo to Christine Ebersole, who should win the Tony.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Barry Humphries, Curtains, Evita, Grey Gardens, Gypsy, SOB's Best of 2006-07, Sonia Flew, The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, The Real Thing, The Unmentionables
A Recoup For The MisbegottenSeems like ever since the transfer of the
Old Vic's revival of
A Moon For The Misbegotten was announced, critics and pundits have had their knives out for it. As you'll note,
I adored this revival and think it deserved far better treatment from the media than it's received.
One of the earlier strains of criticism was over whether it would be able to break even. Guess what? It has.
You'll recall that back in January,
Michael Riedel of the New York Post stated:
The acclaimed actor (Kevin Spacey) is demanding such a hefty paycheck, some people involved in the show worry that there won't be anything left for the backers....This time out, Spacey wants his money right off the top. The problem for his backers is that Moon -- which is being produced for $2.5 million -- is scheduled to run only 10 weeks at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Factor in all the other production costs, and the show has to sell a lot of seats -- many at premium prices of $250 or more -- just to break even, production sources say.
Well, after a mere 52 performances on Broadway,
A Moon For The Misbegotten has recouped all of its $2.4 million investment. It's recouped even after
offering 60 $25 seats to students at every performance. Just last week, the show played to an impressive 88.9% capacity and had an average ticket price of $74.68 -- that placed it third among all plays (only
The Coast Of Utopia and
The Year Of Magical Thinking had higher average tickets).
And the revival
still has another three weeks to go before it closes on June 10. The show may have been largely snubbed by the Tonys save for
Eve Best's very well-deserved nod, but I can confidently say that if you haven't already seen it, do yourself a favor and go.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
A Moon For The Misbegotten (The SOB Review) (May 12, 2007)
Was Moon Eclipsed By Critics? (April 10, 2007)
Broadway Moon Shines On Opening Tonight (April 9, 2007)
A Moon For The Students (April 4, 2007)
Money For The Begotten? (January 10, 2007)
Brooks Atkinson To Get Space(y)d Out With Moon For The Misbegotten (November 22, 2006)
Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Broadway, Eve Best, Kevin Spacey, Michael Riedel, Play, Recoup, Revival, The SOB Review, Tony Nominations
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of PlaysOver the past year, I've had an opportunity to see many outstanding revivals of plays throughout the United States as well as abroad. Here's my personal "5 Best" list of the revivals I'm thankful I had a chance to see:
1 - The Real Thing (McGuire Proscenium Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, MN)
With some of the sharpest, wittiest writing among plays of the past quarter century,
The Real Thing was the real deal when it was presented late last summer as the first regular production in the new
Guthrie’s McGuire Proscenium Stage.
Tom Stoppard’s excellent London-based comedy on the meaning of true love was both imminently smart and deliciously accessible under
Joe Dowling’s expert direction, as well as through its superb ensemble, including
Jay Goede (Henry),
Kathryn Meisle (Annie),
Sally Wingert (Charlotte),
Lee Mark Nelson (Max),
Jonas Goslow (Billy), Elizabeth Stahlmann (Debbie) and Mike Rasmussen (Brodie).
Goede was in top form and exceptionally convincing as Henry, the “old sod” playwright who doesn’t readily show his emotions or affections. Yet when he did -- with the absolutely poetic language Stoppard speaks through Henry -- his dialogue was as romantic as it gets. Goede was breathtaking to watch. Meisle was every bit Goede’s equal and displayed raw emotions through her luminescent, expressive eyes.
The Real Thing was a joy to behold and proved to be a great harbinger of things to come for the new Guthrie as some of my other top picks will support. (
Meisle and Goede are pictured above, courtesy of Guthrie.)
Click here for The SOB Review of The Real Thing.
2 - The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie (Acorn Theatre, New York, NY)
While maligned by some critics, I was absolutely spellbound by
Jay Presson Allen’s pre-World War II drama
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie when it was given a hauntingly beautiful revival by The New Group under
Scott Elliott’s exquisite direction. In it,
Cynthia Nixon offered one of her most nuanced, breathtaking performances ever. Nixon was mesmerizing as teacher Jean Brodie, whose romanticized visions of how the world should be ordered are at once both gorgeous and grotesque.
In a stunning, breakthrough performance, the brilliant
Zoe Kazan played Brodie's student Sandy, who undermined her teacher's grand plans and in the process threatened her long tenure with the school. Throughout the course of the play, Nixon expertly peeled back each layer of Brodie to reveal a shockingly fascist and sanctimonious soul whose fascination with Benito Mussolini, Adolph Hitler and Francisco Franco imperiled not only her position, but also one of her students.
Through Brodie, we saw how easily impressionable minds can be swept up by charismatic leaders in following a perilous course, and in these dangerous times, the allegory remains every bit as valid today. The ensemble in this excellent production was nothing short of exceptional and helped make
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, hands-down, one of the best plays I've seen over the past year.
Click here for The SOB Review of The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.
3 - A Moon For The Misbegotten (Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York, NY)
Less than two weeks ago, I finally caught
Eugene O’Neill’s spectacular
A Moon For The Misbegotten for the first time. To say I was completely enthralled by
Howard Davies’ mesmerizing, profoundly moving, and yes, even entertaining production -- as well as by the intensity of the three principal actors -- would be an understatement.
Colm Meaney,
Eve Best and
Kevin Spacey are all brilliant.
Best is nothing short of a revelation in offering the production's most nuanced performance; the diminutive actress may not quite be the cow O’Neill originally envisioned, but her forceful take on Josie makes her a woman whom men should challenge at their own peril.
What I found so captivating about Spacey’s ultimately heartbreaking portrayal is that, as the eternal actor and kidder, Jim Tyrone has little choice but to mask over the truth and shame he feels deep in his soul by putting up a front of frivolity. That and the refuge he takes in the bottle essentially provide him the sole remaining means by which he can bear to live with himself. Together, Best and Spacey are as symbiotic as any two actors I’ve witnessed, and they provide one of the most astonishing and affecting hours I’ve experienced from live theatre all year.
Click here for The SOB Review of A Moon For The Misbegotten.
4 - The Diary Of Anne Frank (Steppenwolf Downstairs Theatre, Chicago, IL)
Director
Tina Landau succeeds in building the current Steppenwolf revival of
The Diary Of Anne Frank into an engrossing, near pitch-perfect production. The real-life source material may already be 63 years old, but Landau brings a haunting brilliance to the time-honored dramatization by taking takes chances that ultimately pay off, including enabling the story to move beyond the play's previous conclusion in such a striking fashion that there were audible gasps from the audience. Landau triumphs in proving why this timeless classic deserves to be retold yet again.
This extraordinary production is also blessed by an exceptional ensemble, each of whom turns in a profoundly moving performance. Chief among them are the absolutely astounding
Claire Elizabeth Saxe in the title role and a spectacularly measured performance by
Yasen Peyankov as her father. Right before your eyes, Saxe's maturation as Anne, physically and emotionally, is palpable. You won't believe you're watching a current high school senior -- she's that good. As for Peyankov, by scaling his performance so astonishingly, he becomes the heart of this production.
This is a production that deserves to be seen, not only by those who don't understand the extent of the Nazis' savageries, but also for anyone who yearns for a deeper appreciation of the galvanic capabilities provided by the young Anne Frank's words, which remain as vital today as ever.
Click here for The SOB Review of The Diary Of Anne Frank.
5 - The Glass Menagerie (McGuire Proscenium Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, MN)
If there's a common thread among my five favorites, it's the daring to re-imagine respected and time-honored works into accessible theatre for today's audiences. Another prime example was in yet another
Joe Dowling-helmed revival, this time via
Tennessee Williams'
The Glass Menagerie. Shaking this play to its core, Dowling's split the Williamsesque Tom Wingfield in two with
Randy Harrison portraying the younger Tom, while
Bill McCallum tackled the older one. And it succeeded.
But if there was an actual force that lingered, even when she wasn't on the stage, it was
Harriet Harris as Tom's manic mother Amanda. Harris erupted with a volatile mix of authentic neurosis and delusional charm to make you believe she understood the archetype Williams intended perfectly. An actor's actor if ever there was one, Harris mastered this role with clarity and precision, even when she wasn't speaking a word. Hers was one of the best performances I saw all year.
There was much to recommend in Dowling's insightful, respectful and surprisingly entertaining production, and near as I could figure, none of Williams' beautifully poetic language had been altered. Dowling's dramatic tinkerings made for a very chilling evening that actually illuminated the darkest parts of Williams' soul. To me, that's the mark of a great production.
Click here for The SOB Review of The Glass Menagerie. Honorable Mentions:Two revivals from the last year are very deserving of honorable mentions:
- K2 (Jungle Theatre, Minneapolis, MN) -- Director Bain Boehlke succeeds in ascending to the apex with this chilling and riveting revival of Patrick Meyers' K2. This is without question the best production I've seen at Minneapolis' intimate Jungle Theatre. Despite its scant running time of 90 minutes (including one 15 minute intermission), K2 is an adventurous and towering achievement worth the plunge. (Click here for The SOB Review of K2)
- Lost In Yonkers (Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, MN) -- While many of Neil Simon’s plays are known for their broader humor, Lost In Yonkers is much more introspective and personal, succeeding with subtle, sophisticated wit and charm. Thanks in no small part to Gary Gisselman's expert, deliberate direction, Lost in Yonkers was particularly winning in making us understand that under Grandma Kurnitz's (Rosaleen Linehan) tough, crusty exterior lies a human being, complete with heart, after all.
What were the best revivals of plays you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
Also, don't forget to vote for the shows you believe will win in each of the four major Tony Award categories: Best Musical, Best Play, Best Revival of a Musical and Best Revival of a Play. You'll find all four polls on the right-hand side of Steve On Broadway.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets to A Moon For The Misbegotten (playing through June 10) Click here for tickets to K2 (playing through May 20).Click here for tickets to The Diary Of Anne Frank (playing through June 10)Related Stories:The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Best Revival of Plays, K2, Lost In Yonkers, SOB's Best of 2006-07, The Diary Of Anne Frank, The Glass Menagerie, The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie, The Real Thing
A Moon For The Misbegotten (The SOB Review) - Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York, NY
***1/2 (out of ****)
It may seem like sacrilege for a self-professed theatre fan to confess to never having seen
Eugene O’Neill’s
A Moon For The Misbegotten. But here’s my admission: I finally saw this masterpiece for my first time.
With memories still fresh from the impeccable 2003 Broadway revival of O’Neill’s
Long Day’s Journey Into Night, I was eager to finally consume the next chapter of the Tyrone family’s story, which of course, is based in part on the playwright’s own brother’s life. Having already witnessed the ruinous self-destructive path of mother Mary Tyrone and the beginnings of that propensity in her son Jamie, I understood that
Moon’s continuation of his story would point toward the same bleak end for him.
Since I had never before seen
A Moon For The Misbegotten, I had few preconceived notions of how each character should be portrayed. However, in reading the reviews in advance, I certainly knew that many critics were less than pleased by
Kevin Spacey’s unique reading of an older, but hardly more mature Jim Tyrone. But I vowed that in seeing the show, I would not let those critiques unfairly prejudice my receptivity to Spacey’s interpretation or the production itself.
Ask anyone who’s held off in seeing a show until it’s already well into its run and they’re likely to tell you that it’s either a blessing or a curse.
It may be a blessing because the production has long since found its footing. Or perhaps it’s a blessing since the actors have achieved a higher degree of confidence in their own portrayals, not to mention a greater symbiotic relationship with the rest of the cast. On the other hand, it may be a bit of a curse if the critics weren’t necessarily kind to the production. Or even worse, if the actors are already calling in their performances, essentially making the show anything but vital.
The latter most certainly cannot be said about
Howard Davies’ mesmerizing, profoundly moving, and yes, even entertaining production. I never thought three hours in a theatre could go by so quickly given the tough, dark subject matter.
To say I was completely spellbound by the intensity of the three principal actors would be an understatement.
Colm Meaney,
Eve Best and Spacey are all brilliant.
As the scheming and belligerent Phil Hogan, Meaney swaggers, cajoles and even cowers under his promiscuous daughter Josie’s domination. Best is nothing short of a revelation; the diminutive actress may not quite be the cow O’Neill originally envisioned, but her forceful take on Josie makes her a woman whom men should challenge at their own peril. And yet, there’s such a genuine quality to her Josie that whether she’s squaring off -- with her own father, the neighbor T. Stedman Harder (
Billy Carter in a real display of comic relief) or Jim Tyrone – or falling deeply for Jim’s charms, Best offers the production’s most nuanced performance.
And then there’s Spacey, much derided for what is perceived as a lighthearted, almost comedic portrayal of the alcoholic Jim Tyrone. No matter that in
Long Day’s Journey Into Night, we got a glimpse early on into how Mary Tyrone herself glossed over her demons. Never mind that throughout O’Neill’s writing, the audience is reminded continuously that this washed-up actor is a natural kidder. (What’s that old saying? “Once a kidder, always a kidder”?) And lest I forget, Josie
is supposed to be attracted to this man, isn’t she?
What I found so captivating about Spacey’s ultimately heartbreaking portrayal is that, as the eternal actor and kidder, Jim Tyrone has little choice but to mask over the truth and shame he feels deep in his soul by putting up a front of frivolity. That and the refuge he takes in the bottle essentially provide him the sole remaining means by which he can bear to live with himself.
Jim’s subsequent meltdown in Josie’s arms is rendered all the more poignant and tender because for a fleeting moment, Josie finally has a clear view into the window of his aching soul. She’s able to truly comprehend the extent of her would-be lover’s extraordinary anguish, sense of loss and resulting humility.
Together, Best and Spacey are as symbiotic as any two actors I’ve witnessed, and they provide one of the most astonishing and affecting hours I’ve experienced from live theatre all year. This haunting revival of
A Moon For The Misbegotten is, in a word, spectacular.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Broadway, Eugene O'Neill, Eve Best, Kevin Spacey, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Play, Revival, The SOB Review
Was Moon Eclipsed By Critics?
Proclaiming it "fiercely dramatic yet with nuaced staging,"
New York Post's
Clive Barnes offers high marks: "As Josie, Best hits every note with a sweetly underscored emphasis. Her acting is as natural as breathing, with a technique that doesn't just disguise technique but disposes of it. Marvelous! Spacey and Meaney are just the opposite: They exult in their technique. They not only let you see where every effect is coming from, they actually stand aside as if to share in your admiration. It doesn't matter. You gasp, but it works."
Calling the production a "marvel," the Associated Press'
Michael Kuchwara has praise all around for the revival's acting: "Best is making her New York debut in this English import....It would be a serious mistake to miss her extraordinary performance, a remarkable balancing act of power and vulnerability, sexuality and innocence.... Spacey...gives a carefully crafted performance. With his shy, almost impish smile, he ingratiatingly captures the man's surface joviality. It's a jokey slickness masking a guilt-riddled despair, a sorrow that explodes when he has had too much to drink....O'Neill's dated language can be melodramatic, even florid, but Spacey has the gift of making these outbursts sound painfully genuine."
Labeling the production "boisterous but oddly tepid" in his two-and-a-half star review,
USA Today's
Simon Annand offers a mixed assessment: "[I]n darker, more crucial moments, we see less of the capacity for unmannered emotional intensity that made Spacey a major player in both film and theater. There are glimmers of it in some of Tyrone's tortured ramblings, just as Best brings wrenching pathos to Josie's patches of despair, particularly in her scenes with Meaney, who is superb as Josie's bumbling father. Still, this
Moon isn't as absorbing or affecting as it should have been."
Charging that this is "an off-kilter revival,"
Ben Brantley of
The New York Times also took issue with Davies' lack of sobriety for the proceedings: "Yet even in the play’s climactic scene, in which Tyrone reveals his love for Josie and the cancerous self-disgust that makes him drink, the audience keeps laughing. Mr. Spacey brings a stand-up artist’s timing to Tyrone’s reversals of mood so that they land like punch lines....But the night belongs to Ms. Best, who clearly and winningly maps the contradictory levels of Josie Hogan, both the blustery facade and the sensitive core."
Also taking issue with the enhanced comedic aspects of the play is
Eric Grode of
The New York Sun: "Mr. Davies's suspiciously boisterous production of the 1947 play...lets the bawdy first half suck up too much oxygen, diminishing the richer emotions that follow....Mr. Spacey never lets the showman fade completely. A generous assessment of his antic delivery is that he is masking James's self-loathing with a carefree façade. Still, it's hard not to assume that he's merely delivering a few extra easy laughs -- and sidelining Ms. Best's majestic efforts in the process. This sort of mooning about is more than just misguided. It's misbegotten."
Accusing Spacey of "packing too much ego to entirely serve a complex role" that ends up a "disappointment,"
Variety's
David Rooney takes a more direct hit on the actor: "[H]e continually undercuts the pathos by shamelessly courting the audience, too often punctuating the bleak revelations with smug line-readings colored by sardonic humor....A drama in which lies and protective shields dissolve to reveal the truth -- leaving Jim on a fast track to doom and Josie to face the future with new self-awareness -- demands honesty from its actors. That honesty is vivid and unpolluted only in the spiritual warmth of Best as Josie cradles her wounded 'child' in still-virginal arms at dawn, her tenderness enveloping the audience."
Will the mixed reviews matter much for this star-driven limited run production (the show is scheduled to close on June 10)? Most likely not, considering that A Moon For The Misbegotten boasted a box office capacity last week of 96.9%, up 9.7% over its previous week.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Broadway, Critics' Capsule, Eugene O'Neill, Kevin Spacey, Play, Revival
Broadway Moon Shines On Opening Tonight
This acclaimed production is a transfer direct from
The Old Vic in London, where its accomplished artistic director
Kevin Spacey also starred. Spacey,
Eve Best and
Colm Meaney are each reprising their Old Vic turns on Broadway; Best and Meaney received Olivier nominations for their work across the pond.
Yet considering that
Moon continues the story of Jamie Tyrone -- first introduced as a young man in
Long Day's Journey Into Night, another O'Neill play that was last revived in 2003 to resounding cheers -- could it be that the time is actually right for that
Night's audiences to now see
Moon's story told anew?
So far, the box office has affirmed that it is. Tomorrow, we'll see whether the critics think so, too.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for tickets.
Related Stories: Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Broadway, Kevin Spacey, London, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Opening Night, Play, Revival, Transfer
A Moon For The Students
Apparently, to make this large number available, the production has foregone traditional direct mail discount offers. Bravo to Spacey for taking steps to ensure that students aren't priced out of seeing this revival.
Cox also reports that
A Moon For The Misbegotten has already secured an advance box office of $3.5 million. With all the other notable plays gracing the Great White Way this spring, that's certainly not bad, especially considering that the
Eugene O'Neill work was already
revived on Broadway earlier this decade.
All totaled, it will take roughly $5.2 million in box office over the next ten weeks to recoup the capitalization for Moon, and right now, the producers are reportedly optimistic.
Indeed, last week marked the first previews for the show. Its five performances enjoyed a healthy capacity of 87.1% and total box office of $400,224. For those counting, that's an average of $88.94 per ticket, making it the highest priced ticket of the week for a play on Broadway.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:
Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Box Office, Broadway, Eugene O'Neill, Kevin Spacey, Play, Revival
Money For The Begotten?
Supposedly, Spacey is seeking $25,000 per week, along with an extra 10 percent of the weekly take over $350,000. Naturally, we're only getting half the story, and there's no word yet on whether Spacey's demands are for real, and if so whether they'll be met or countered.
If the production attracts sizeable crowds, it will be in no small part due to Spacey's role in the show. There's no denying Spacey's a distinguished thespian of the first order with two Oscars and a Tony to show for his breadth of talent. And while he's been tirelessly working across the pond as the
Old Vic's artistic director for reportedly nominal wages (and thus foregoing more lucrative film opportunities) over the course of more than three years, there's no discounting the critical acclaim his portrayal of James Tyrone, Jr. in London has already garnered. That will, no doubt, further enhance the box office despite the paltry draw of the last Broadway revival in 2000.
Compared with most Great White Way fare, A Moon For The Misbegotten is arguably a smaller show, with only five principal characters and substantially lower overhead than the typical production. Savvy audiences are smart enough to know that such factors don't make the tickets any less expensive -- they just make producers' return on investment come back more quickly.
So at a time when overzealous producers are already charging exorbitant "premium" seating tickets at well over $200 a clip, shouldn't more of that money go into the hands of those squarely responsible for placing butts in the seats in the first place? I won't begrudge Mr. Spacey one moment for trying to negotiate a handsome reward for himself; in my mind, he's earned it.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Broadway, Kevin Spacey, Play, Revival
Brooks Atkinson To Get Space(y)d Out With Moon For The MisbegottenLook for the critically-acclaimed London revival of
Eugene O'Neill's
A Moon For The Misbegotten to transfer to the Great White Way's
Brooks Atkinson Theatre this March, with opening night set for April 9.
Academy and Tony Award-winning actor
Kevin Spacey will perform in the fifth Broadway incarnation of the drama along with his London co-stars
Eve Best and
Colm Meaney.
The new revival will mark the 50th anniversary since the show first appeared on the Great White Way in 1957, coming four year's after O'Neill's death.
That production only lasted 68 performances, but featured
Wendy Hiller, who received the mounting's sole Tony nomination.
The
first revival came at the close of 1973 with such high profile names as
Jason Robards,
Colleen Dewhurst and
Ed Flanders attached to it; the latter two actors earned two of the acclaimed production's four Tony Awards. All totaled, the production enjoyed 313 regular performances.
Kate Nelligan received a Tony nomination with 1984's
second revival that had just 40 regular performances.
More recently,
Gabriel Byrne and
Cherry Jones headlined the
Daniel Sullivan-helmed
2000 revival that garnered four Tony nominations;
Roy Dotrice won a Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Play. That revival enjoyed 120 regular performances at the
Walter Kerr Theatre.
Will American critics warm to this latest revival? Or does it come too close on the heels of the 2000 revival? Stay tuned!
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Click here for Old Vic tickets.Labels: A Moon For The Misbegotten, Broadway, First Word On New Show, London, Play, Revival
